(Las
Cruces, N.M.) - The Kansas City women's basketball team (4-9)
dropped their fifth straight contest, 75-50 to New Mexico State (6-4) on Friday
night at the Pan American Center, despite a 20-point, including a career-high
12 free throws, six rebound and four assist effort by junior Eilise O'Connor.

"We need to get ourselves ready to play early, tonight we
didn't do that," Houser said. "We have
to bring energy and effort from the beginning and come out ready to go instead
of waiting 10 minutes into the half."

The
'Roos fell behind early 15-2, managing only a jumper by junior Ashli Hill over
the first eight minutes of the contest.

New
Mexico State would extend its lead to a first half high 22 at the 3:52 mark,
but a 10-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back field goals and a pair of free
throws by Houser, closed the deficit to 33-21 heading into halftime.

Dudding
extended the run to 12-0 coming out of the break, but nine straight by the
Aggies pushed the lead to 42-23 with less than 15 minutes left in the game.

A
layup by Hill would end the NMSU rally and, after a field goal by the Aggies,
Dudding and junior Kara Lee connected on back-to-back baskets to trim the
margin to 45-29.

An
Aggie three would push the lead back to 19, but six of the next seven went to
UMKC, cutting the advantage to 49-35 with less than 10 minutes remaining.

New
Mexico State, however, answered with seven straight free throws before two free
throws and a reverse layup by O'Connor brought the score to 56-39.

The
Aggies would again answer the UMKC rally, knocking down a trio of threes over
their next five possessions, stretching the lead to 24 with just four minutes
left to play.

Kansas
City would add nine more points down the stretch, but it would not be enough as
the 'Roos dropped their fifth straight contest, 75-50.

"Now that we are entering Summit League play, we have to
come out like we have nothing to lose and stick together as a team," Houser
added. "We can still turn our season
around if we continue to work hard. Our
goals haven't changed, we still are striving to get better every day."

The
Blue & Gold will be back in action after Christmas when they open up Summit
League play on Dec. 28 against Omaha at the Swinney Recreation Center in Kansas
City at 7:05 p.m. CT with the game to be aired on KSMO.